I'd rather be having a quiet drink... and can be followed on Twitter @alcothusiast; and friended on Untappd (handle: "neilcake" - all welcome).

Tuesday, 26 January 2016

Spirit Log: Grant's Signature Blended Scotch

Released in June
2014, exclusively to Tesco in the first instance, Grant’s Signature was an
attempt to give the young people what they want in the spirits market. Aren’t
enough people drinking whisky already, without encouraging the young to take their share of the depleting stocks? Let’s wait
for some of the old duffers to die off first, eh? Anyway, from what I remember
about being young, what they want is something cheap they can knock back before
going out, or enjoy with ice since they won’t have figured out how to enjoy
whisky yet… so is that what this is for?

I’m not sure how
long the exclusivity lasted, but I picked it up in Sainsburys for £16, which
represents a few quid off, but still places it comfortably above the price of
your standard supermarket blends.

I’ve been reasonably
impressed with Grant’s’ affordable output so far – the Family Reserve, Ale Cask
and Sherry Cask editions all provide value for money and fill that gap
in your drinks cabinet that requires an uncomplicated whisky for drinking early
in the evening, or cheekily adding to your uninspiring lager. I’m hoping it
turns out to be a completely different product to the three mentioned above,
and not just a re-branding (it isn’t) – a scam I’ve fallen for before – looking
at you, Dewar’s…

The Signature is
presented in the usual triangular type bottle, but also has a flimsy blue box
that it doesn’t quite fit in snugly. It is bottled at a standard 40% and is
said to be malty and offer biscuity tones. Can a whisky aimed at the
inexperienced drinker’s market also satisfy a more fussy drinker? Let’s find
out.

The first thing
you’re going to notice about the Signature is that it is very pale. I actually
consider that to be a good thing in cheap blends, since it suggests a minimal
amount of artificial colouration has been employed, and it makes a change from
that brown whisky that just seems to
be standard for blended scotch. So far so good.

On the palate, as
you’d expect for a sub £20 blend, there’s a hefty whack of grain so, keeping
the youth market in mind, you wonder, how
is this going to appeal to that market? I hear a lot of inexperienced
drinkers complaining that whisky is too harsh or it burns, so how is this
supposed to convince anyone differently?

Ok, so moving on;
what happens when you drink it properly (as
I call it)? You know, you hold it in your mouth, swish it around, and swallow
it bit by bit – thus effectively mixing your saliva in with it and reducing the
potential burning and choking effects… well, it turns out to be pretty good –
better than that even. There’s a mouthwatering sweetness overriding any
roughness that a whisky lover on a low budget could really get on board with.
And therein lies the problem: you have to treat it with the respect you’d
afford a fine single malt to get the best out of it, so I find it hard to
believe Grant’s are going to be able to win over any of the young generation
they’re supposedly aiming for.

The overall
conclusion then, is that this is a quality low-priced gem. It’s name, Signature, makes it sound less special
and sought after than Family Reserve,
but I think this is actually the better of the two expressions and a worthy
choice to be considered the signature Grant’s expression. Really well done,
Grant’s. I’ll keep coming back as long as you keep producing some quality low
priced blends. Now though, I think it’s time I spent a bit more on a blend to
see where that can take us…

And so ends my 200th post. I know! 200! Next week I'll be beginning my third century with a post about 10 year old Armagnac, Baron de Signognac. Join me then.

Definitions

What happens when you zone out after having had a cheeky lunchtime pint.

Alcothusiast:

Not an alcoholic, someone who appreciates booze.

Anxiety, The:

The uneasy feeling that accompanies any noteworthy hangover.

Booze Buffet Mentality:

The propensity people have to go nuts whenever there's a free bar.

Booze Porn:Photos of alcohol.

Bread Chest:Not booze related, but this term describes the indigestion you get from eating too many bread products too quickly. Just putting it out there...

Crawler's Block:The inability to decide where to go next during a pub crawl - often resulting in crawl stagnation and someone saying, "shall we just have another one here?"

Crawl Stagnation:The result of failing to plan a pub crawl sufficiently - lack of a route, theme or over-familiarity with nearby pubs can all be contributing factors.

Excess Induced Alcohol Aversion:An intolerance for a drink caused (usually) by one occasion of overindulgence.

The Family:My whisky collection.

MOMA:

Moment of Maximum Appreciation. Every bottle has one. It's the time you drink it where you enjoy it most.

Old Man Pub:Traditional British pub, renowned for being quiet, cosy and frequented by old men. Much favoured by people who like a nice chat while they drink.Psychological Drinks Cabinet:Collective term relating to the kinds of alcoholic drinks a person has need for.Road Beers:

Cans of beer that you take with you when you go out, to consume on the way.

The 3 Types of Rum:White, gold and dark. Together they form the base of many a great cocktail.

About Me

Neil Cake is interested in all types of booze, but is by no means an authority or expert. Most of the time he's just trying to be funny, but he is learning, and enjoys sharing his adventures and what he learns on the Drink it How You Like it blog.
Thengyuverrymuuuuuch.